With the Mountain View–Los Altos School District’s hybrid return date approaching, students and families had an opportunity to voice their questions and concerns at yesterday’s webinar held by the MVLA District. The Talon compiled frequently asked questions with responses, along with helpful resources and terminology.

Terminology

Rotating hybrid model: The rotating hybrid model is the MVLA school board approved in-person instructional model that will start Monday, April 19. More information about the hybrid schedule can be found here. 

Option 1: In option 1, students will partake in the rotating hybrid model for the remainder of the school year.

Option 2: In option 2, students will remain in remote learning for the rest of the school year. 

Roomies: The District is using the term “roomies” to refer to students in Option 1 who are coming back on campus under the hybrid model

Zoomies: The District is using the term “zoomies” to refer to students in Option 2 who are remaining in remote learning for the duration of the school year. 

Questions

If a student’s comfort with being in person changes, will they be able to switch from Option 1 into Option 2? 

Yes, based on their comfort levels students will be able to opt out of the hybrid option and transition to remote learning at any time. However, students won’t be able to transition from remote learning to the in-person option. Administration strongly encourages students to get accustomed to the in-person option and adapt to the “learning curve” before switching to remote learning.

Is LAHS still going to be an open campus?

Students may leave campus during lunch and free periods. The MVLA administration encourages students to stay on campus, but asks students to abide by COVID-19 safety protocols as established by the County if they do leave campus. Non-MVLA staff and unauthorized students will not be allowed to enter campus. 

Will students in Option 1 be taught through Zoom as well?

Yes and no; this is up to the teacher, and will depend on what the class is doing that day. The District has provided teachers with technology such as tripods and cameras to experiment with different ways to conduct their classes so that both roomies and zoomies have equitable learning experiences.

What should students in Option 1 do if they need to stay home?

If students are sick they must stay at home and notify the attendance office of their absence. If possible, they will be able to join their classes through Zoom and still be marked as present. Students who aren’t sick and choose to stay home also will be able to join classes through Zoom without any penalties. However, if a student is consistently missing in-person classes and joining online, they’ll be asked to switch to the remote option. 

How is Option 1 different from the stable group model?

The rotating hybrid model is different from the stable group model because most teachers will be present in the classroom with students while teaching. Students will also rotate through their classes and be present in the classroom with their classmates — a key difference from the stable group model. 

Will LAHS be serving lunch to students?

Yes, LAHS will be serving free prepackaged grab-and-go lunches for students in the hybrid mode, but students are also permitted to bring their own lunches. Students are required to eat outside while social distancing and are encouraged to bring snacks for the first couple of days in case lines for food are long. 

Will students still get lockers during Option 1?

No, students will not be allowed to use lockers; students are encouraged to bring their backpacks equipped with their device, a charger, earbuds, extra masks and class-specific materials. 

What would happen if a student in Option 1 were to get COVID-19?

Since each COVID-19 case is different, each positive case will be handled differently and confidentially. As soon as a positive case is reported, the hybrid return dashboard will be updated and contact tracing will begin, according to Associate Superintendent of Personnel Leyla Benson, the COVID-19 case designee. The COVID-19 positive student will immediately be isolated and all students with possible close contact exposure will be notified through email and phone call within four hours and updated throughout the process. The dashboard will also be updated as soon as possible. 

How will COVID-19 safety measures be implemented?

To ensure utmost safety, LAHS has installed fans  in each classroom for ventilation to make sure that students receive fresh air and has required all classrooms to keep windows open.

Classrooms will be equipped with proper sanitation resources such as hand sanitizer and hand washing stations will be dispersed throughout campus.

Classrooms won’t be cleaned after each class, but high-contact surfaces will be cleaned each evening.

Teachers will also be required to wear plastic face shields when interacting with students. COVID-19 testing will be provided twice a month on the LAHS campus; students can also go to El Camino Hospital to get free testing.

Students are required to maintain a 3-foot distance from each other and a 6-foot distance from adults.

If a student frequently disobeys safety guidelines, they’ll be switched into Option 2 for safety reasons.